7/3/20

"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW" He Taught As One Having Authority (7:28-29) by Mark Copeland


"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"

He Taught As One Having Authority (7:28-29)


 INTRODUCTION 1. During His earthly ministry, Jesus astonished the people with His teaching... a. He astonished them in the synagogues - Mk 1:21-22; 6:2 b. They were astonished by His sermon on the mount - Mt 7:28-29 2. What impressed the people was that "He taught as one having authority" a. Unlike the scribes, who simply interpreted the Law b. Jesus spoke as One had the right to make the law! 1) E.g., "But I say to you...But I tell you..." - Mt 5:22,28,32,34,39,44 2) E.g., "Take heed...You shall not be...Do not..." - Mt 6:1,2,5,8,19,25 3. The question might be raised, "Did Jesus have the authority to speak this way?" a. He may have taught with authority, but was it His to do so? b. Should we, who read that which He taught, give heed to obey what He said? 4. At a time when many do not heed the words of Jesus... a. Not only those in the world b. But, sadly, even many who profess Him to be Lord ...the authority of Jesus needs to be recognized and followed by all, but especially by those who claim to be His disciples [In this study, we shall review the authority that Jesus has, beginning with...] I. THE INHERENT RIGHT OF JESUS' AUTHORITY A. BY VIRTUE OF BEING THE CREATOR... 1. All things were made through Him - Jn 1:1-3; He 1:2 2. All things were made by Him and for Him - Col 1:16 -- As Creator, Jesus has the authority to expect and demand whatever He desires of His creation B. BY VIRTUE OF BEING THE HEIR... 1. As prophesied, Jesus would be given all things - Ps 2:8 2. As the Son, Jesus has been appointed heir of all things - He 1:2 -- As the Heir, Jesus has authority over that which has been given Him C. BY VIRTUE OF BEING THE REDEEMER... 1. Jesus has redeemed us from our sins - 1Pe 1:18-19 2. This He has done with His own blood - Ep 1:7; Ac 20:28 -- As our Redeemer, He certainly has authority over those who have been purchased by His blood! [As Creator, Heir, and Redeemer, Jesus has both the inherent right and the earned right to speak with authority. Dare we living today not recognize such authority? Consider others who gave voice to...] II. THE RECOGNITION OF JESUS' AUTHORITY A. HE WAS WORSHIPPED BY ANGELS... 1. When He came into the world - He 1:6 2. As He sat on the throne of God - Re 5:11-12 -- Angels deemed Him worthy to receive power (authority) B. HE WAS RECOGNIZED BY DEMONS... 1. They acknowledged He had the authority to destroy them - Mk 1:23-24 2. They obeyed His rebuke - Mk 1:25-26 -- Demons, even when possessing power of their own, could not resist His authority C. HE WAS PRAISED BY THE REDEEMED... 1. Those before the throne and the Lamb ascribed salvation to God and the Lamb - Re 7:9-10 2. Even as John praised Him for having authority over the kings of the earth - Re 1:5 -- If we are among the redeemed, should we not also recognize His authority? [Finally, let's note...] III. THE EXTENT OF JESUS' AUTHORITY A. HE HAS ALL AUTHORITY IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH... 1. As announced by Him prior to His ascension - Mt 28:18 2. As received when He ascended to sit at God's right hand - Ep 1:20-22; 1Pe 3:22 3. Including ruling over the kings of the earth as King of kings and Lord of lords - Re 1:5; 1Ti 6:14-15 B. HE IS HEAD OVER THE CHURCH... 1. He is the head of the body, the church - Col 1:18 2. Even as He is the savior of the body - Ep 5:23 3. As the Head, He has delegated His authority to His apostles a. Promising His Spirit to guide them into all the truth - Jn 16:12-13 b. Commanding them to teach others to observe all that He commanded - Mt 28:20 c. Proclaiming that whoever receives them, receives Him - Jn 13:20 CONCLUSION 1. As revealed in the New Testament, Jesus clearly has all authority... a. Which must be confessed in order to be saved - Ro 10:9; Php 2:9-11 b. Which will be confessed at the Judgment - Ro 14:10-12 2. The key issue, then, is what we do in light of this authority... a. Will we listen to Jesus and heed Him who speaks with such authority? b. Will we as His church allow His apostles to lead and guide us through the authority delegated to them? Those willing to accept Jesus as Lord, will do what He says (cf. Lk 6: 46); as prophesied by David, they will freely volunteer in the day of His power (Ps 110:1-3). May we all honor and accept the authority of Jesus Christ!

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2016

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Meaning of “Apostles” in 1 Corinthians 15 by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=5506

Meaning of “Apostles” in 1 Corinthians 15

by  Dave Miller, Ph.D.

Q.

“In 1 Corinthians 15:3-9, where Paul talks about those who had seen Jesus after his resurrection, in verse 5 he says that he was seen of Cephas and then of the twelve. But then in verse 7, he says he was seen of James; then all of the apostles. Do we know if he was just referring to the twelve 'official' apostles again, or other men like Barnabas and James the brother of Jesus, who are also referred to as apostles in the Bible?”

A.

Four observations help to clear up this confusion:

(1) The appearance to Cephas is referred to in Luke 24:34, but we have no way of knowing the circumstances/occasion;

(2) “The Twelve” was an official designation for the original 12 apostles, though at the time Jesus was seen by them, Judas was deceased leaving only 11. This appearance occurred in John 20:26-29;

(3) The reference to James in verse 7 is a reference to “James the Just” who was a physical brother of Jesus and not one of the Twelve (though designated an “apostle,” a term which was applied to others besides the Twelve since apostolos simply means “one sent”). This is the James who wrote the book of James;

(4) The phrase “all the apostles” in verse 7 refers to one of the appearances noted in Acts 1:3. Verse 2 makes it clear that these appearances occurred with reference to “these men,” i.e., the original apostles.

Mary—Mother of God? by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=1178

Mary—Mother of God?

by  Dave Miller, Ph.D.

Mel Gibson’s movie, The Passion of the Christ, generated a flurry of interest and discussion regarding the Christian religion. Since Mel declares himself to be a Catholic, the movie naturally elicited a consideration of the Catholic perspective on various aspects of the life of Christ on Earth. One unique feature of Catholicism is the role and status assigned to Mary. While many Catholics will “hedge” when in private conversation about the veneration given to Mary, the official pronouncements of the Catholic Church are forthright and unreserved in declaring her to be the “mother of God,” and in sanctioning the offering of worship to her, and assigning to her an intercessory role. Consider the following authoritative decrees of the Vatican II Council:

Mary was involved in the mysteries of Christ. As the most holy Mother of God she was, after her Son, exalted by divine grace above all angels and men. Hence the Church appropriately honors her with special reverence. Indeed, from most ancient times the Blessed Virgin has been venerated under the title of “God-bearer.” In all perils and needs, the faithful have fled prayerfully to her protection…. This most holy Synod…charges that practices and exercises of devotion toward her be treasured as recommended by the teaching authority of the Church in the course of centuries, and that those decrees issued in earlier times regarding the veneration of images of Christ, the Blessed Virgin, and the saints, be religiously observed…. Let the entire body of the faithful pour forth persevering prayer to the Mother of God and Mother of men. Let them implore that she who aided the beginnings of the Church by her prayers may now, exalted as she is in heaven above all the saints and angels, intercede with her Son in the fellowship of all the saints (Abbott, 1966, pp. 94-96, emp. added).

Of course, rejecting the concept of abiding strictly by the Bible (sola scriptura), the Catholic Church has maintained for centuries that God’s Word is transmitted through (in addition to the Bible) the teaching authority of the Catholic Church, i.e., through the papacy and supporting church authorities. But for those who remain unconvinced of the right of post-apostolic men to speak by inspiration, the Bible continues to be the only rule of faith and practice—the sole receptacle for God’s Word since the close of the first century A.D.

The Bible is abundantly clear on the role of Mary in the divine scheme of things. The Bible nowhere indicates that Mary ascended into heaven. Nor does the Bible ever use the expression “mother of God.” The expression, in fact, carries with it misleading baggage. It leaves the impression that Mary somehow is being credited with originating Jesus or bringing Him into existence—ludicrous notions at best (cf. John 1:1; Colossians 1:16-17). A fair representation of Scripture would recognize the need to provide clarification by using different wording (e.g., Mary was the mother of Jesus in His incarnate form). In reality, Mary’s body merely served as a host. Matthew worded it this way: “[T]hat which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:20). Someone has gotten “way off track” by overemphasizing the role of Mary—thus giving rise to Mariolatry (the worship of Mary) among Catholics. Using the expression “mother of God” is, therefore, an example of decontextualization. The meaning of the phrase “the mother of my Lord” (Luke 1:43) has been greatly expanded, thereby causing the expression to convey more meaning than the Holy Spirit intended.

The Bible likewise does not give Mary any special status above others. It is acknowledged that she was selected to be the female through whom the Holy Spirit implanted the seed that brought forth the Lord (Luke 1:26-38). It is true that Mary’s relative, Elizabeth, referred to her as “blessed” (Luke 1:42). And it is true that Mary, herself, felt that “henceforth all generations will call me blessed” (Luke 1:48). But notice that nothing is attributed to Mary that is not attributed to many, many other followers of God in Bible history. Many people, in fact, have been “blessed.”

To “bless” in Bible jargon simply means to wish intended good, favor, and well-being upon the recipient (cf. Gray, 1939, 1:487). For example, consider how Melchizedek, king of Salem, extolled Abram: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand” (Genesis 14:19-20). Rebekah was similarly blessed: “And they blessed Rebekah and said to her: ‘Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands of ten thousands; and may your descendants possess the gates of those who hate them’ ” (Genesis 24:60; cf. vs. 31). Abimelech announced to Isaac: “You are now the blessed of the Lord” (Genesis 26:29). The entire nation of Israel was pronounced blessed: “You shall be blessed above all peoples; there shall not be a male or female barren among you or among your livestock” (Deuteronomy 7:14). Moses directed multiple assurances of blessedness toward the Israelites (Deuteronomy 28:1-8).

In fact, the Bible pronounces as “blessed” all people who follow Jesus: “Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him” (Psalm 2:12). Many people in Bible history were found in the “favor” of God (e.g., 1 Samuel 2:26; Proverbs 12:2). Nowhere does the Bible even hint at the notion of Mariolatry. When on the cross, Jesus said to John: “Behold your mother!” (John 19:27), He certainly was not calling for the veneration of Mary! He was merely assigning to John the responsibility of caring for His mother. Mary’s husband, Joseph, was undoubtedly deceased. If veneration of Mary is necessitated by this statement of Jesus, then the immediately preceding statement directed to Mary pertaining to John (“Woman, behold your son!”—John 19:26) would necessitate the veneration of John! Likewise, the notion of Mary’s “perpetual virginity” is a contradiction of Bible teaching, since she and her husband, Joseph, had several children after the birth of Jesus (Matthew 12:46; 13:55-56; Mark 6:3). The New Testament is completely silent on these doctrines (Mariolatry, assumption into heaven, perpetual virginity) that have evolved within Catholicism long after the first century.

REFERENCES

Abbott, Walter, ed. (1966), The Documents of Vatican II (New York, NY: America Press).

Gray, James M. (1939), “Bless,” The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, ed. James Orr (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans), 1974 reprint.

Mary, Catholicism, and the Bible by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=154

Mary, Catholicism, and the Bible

by  Dave Miller, Ph.D.

One unique feature of Catholicism is the role and status assigned to Mary. The official pronouncements of the Catholic Church are forthright and unreserved in declaring her to be the “mother of God,” and in sanctioning the offering of worship to her and assigning to her an intercessory role (see Miller, 2004). Catholics insist that Mary is deserving of respect that surpasses other fleshly mothers, in the same way that a person has greater respect for his or her own fleshly mother. But the New Testament does not make this analogy. While a person’s own fleshly mother certainly deserves more respect than that given to other mothers, Mary is not the fleshly mother of humanity (cf. Genesis 3:20). She is not deserving of any more respect than any other mother. A child views his own mother as the mother—because she bore him. But Mary did not give birth to anyone living today. She is no more the mother than any other mother.

The Catholic Church confuses Mary’s physical motherhood (which is taught in Scripture—earning for her the surpassing respect of her physical children, including Jesus’ respect for her) with an alleged spiritual motherhood—about which the Bible says nothing. Indeed, to embrace the Catholic view of Mary would require one to repudiate Jesus’ own view of His fleshly mother. This view is accentuated in two separate incidents that occurred while Jesus was on Earth.

On one occasion when Jesus was imparting spiritual teaching to a crowd, Mary arrived with her other children and sought to speak to Him:

While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.” But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers? And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:46-50, emp. added).

Observe that while Jesus was not being disrespectful to His physical mother, he was contradicting the very aspect of Mary’s status that is advocated by Catholic dogma. Jesus clarified that while His fleshly mother certainly was deserving of respect (cf. Luke 2:51; Ephesians 6:1-3), nevertheless, Mary was secondary to His higher, spiritual concerns. Those who were attending to the assimilation of the spiritual principles that Jesus was imparting were held up by Him as transcending the physical/blood ties associated with mere human relatives.

Mark’s account of this incident (3:31-35) is preceded by Jesus’ family (identified in vss. 31-32 as his mother and brothers) questioning His sanity (3:20-21). The Catholic translation (NAB) renders the verses: “He came home. Again (the) crowd gathered, making it impossible for them even to eat. When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they said, ‘He is out of his mind.’ ” The critical notes that accompany the text of the Catholic Bible make the following comment on these verses: “There were those even among the relatives of Jesus who disbelieved and regarded Jesus as out of his mind (21). Against this background, Jesus is informed of the arrival of his mother and brothers [and sisters] (32)” (1987, p. 1121, italics in orig., emp. added).

The other incident in the life of Jesus that illustrates His true assessment of His physical mother occurred as He responded to His critics. Some accused Him of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub, while others tested Him by challenging Him to produce a sign from heaven. Knowing their thoughts, Jesus gave His usual masterful rebuttal. “And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!’ ” (Luke 11:27). This unnamed woman in the crowd likely did not intend to accentuate the person of Mary, but simply was expressing her wish that she could have produced such a fine son herself, thereby fulfilling the prophecy of Luke 1:48.

Nevertheless, her statement expresses the viewpoint of the Catholic Church in its veneration of Mary. If this attitude and emphasis were proper, one would have expected Jesus to give a response that confirmed, bolstered, and sanctioned her declaration. One would have expected that Jesus would have said something to the effect that—

Yes, you are right. The one who bore Me and nursed Me is the “most holy Mother of God” who will be “honored with special reverence” by the Church throughout the centuries, “venerated under the title of ‘God-bearer,’ ” and the faithful will “pour forth persevering prayer to the Mother of God and Mother of men,” venerate “images of Christ, the Blessed Virgin, and the saints.”

Why would one expect Jesus to have made comments along these lines? Because the portions of this imaginary response that are in quotes are taken directly from the official pronouncements of the Catholic Church at Vatican II (Abbott, 1966, pp. 94-96).

Did Jesus give a response to the woman that in any way resembled these sentiments? Absolutely not! To the contrary, He declared: “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Luke 11:28). Instead of “more than that,” the NAB renders it “rather” (cf. ASV, NIV, RSV)—further underscoring the contrast He was making. The NASB makes the Greek even more vivid: “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” As University of Cambridge Greek professor C.F.D. Moule noted, menoun in Luke 11:28 functions as “an introduction to a new statement correcting or modifying a foregoing statement” (1977, p. 163, emp. added). Nicoll was inclined to agree: “Correction probably was uppermost in Christ’s thoughts. Under the appearance of approval the woman was taught that she was mistaken in thinking that merely to be the mother of an illustrious son constituted felicity” (n.d., 1:550, emp. added). Dana and Mantey also agree: “In Lk. 11:28...the expression contains both contrast and emphasis, with the significance of in fact, rather” (1927, p. 261, italics in orig., emp. added). In essence, Jesus was contradicting the woman and pointing her to the correct focus and object of commendation: not the physical mother of Jesus, but those who obey God’s Word.

THE PRIMARY PASSAGE

The premiere passage of Scripture that is offered to sustain the view that Mary was assigned a special role in the practice of the Christian religion is the statement that Jesus made from the cross:

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home (John 19:25-27, emp. added).

The fact that Jesus was referring strictly to the physical care for his earthly mother after His death—and not to an alleged spiritual role that Mary was to fill in Christ’s religion—is evident from the context. Jesus spoke the directive to John—not to everyone else present on that occasion, let alone to everyone since. Jesus simply was turning the care of His fleshly mother over to John, since her husband was already deceased and her other children were likely still unbelievers (Mark 3:21; John 7:5). The very verse that refers to this oral utterance of Jesus regarding care of His fleshly mother contains proof of its intended meaning: “And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home” (John 19:27).

Consider the following three observations: First, Jesus did not entrust the care of His mother to Peter! But if Peter were the first pope, Jesus surely would have linked Mary to Peter in order to establish her official spiritual status for all time. Second, Jesus did not arrange to have Mary circulated to the homes of all of the disciples, but only to John’s home. Jesus knew that the “disciple whom Jesus loved” would see to it that she received adequate care in His absence. Third, John took her to “his own home,” i.e., he was attending to her physical needs! He did not take her to any “Holy Shrine of the Blessed Virgin,” or to any other location that would have confirmed a unique role. Indeed, absolutely nothing in this verse leads the objective reader to think that Jesus was assigning a significance or role to Mary that the Catholic Church has since assigned her—“the Mother of us all”!

Interestingly, if when Jesus said to John, “Behold your mother!,” He intended to call for the veneration of Mary, then the immediately preceding statement directed to Mary pertaining to John, “Woman, behold your son!” (John 19:26), would necessitate the veneration of John by both Mary and everyone since!

The fact of the matter is that the Bible makes no provision for worship, adoration, or veneration to be directed to Mary. The Bible forbids offering praise to any human being. All praise, worship, and adoration belongs to God alone (Matthew 4:10; Acts 10:25-26; 14:14-15; Revelation 19:10; 22:9). To extend veneration to other humans ought to be as horrifying to us as it was to Paul and Barnabas (Acts 14:14-15). Indeed, when Herod accepted such veneration, he was struck dead by God and eaten with worms (Acts 12:23).

REFERENCES

Abbott, Walter, ed. (1966), The Documents of Vatican II (New York, NY: America Press).

Dana, H.E. and Julius Mantey (1927), A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament (Toronto, Canada: Macmillan).

Miller, Dave (2004), “Mary—Mother of God?” [On-line], URL: http://apologeticspress.org/articles/2234.

Moule, C.F.D. (1977 reprint), An Idiom-Book of New Testament Greek (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, second edition).

Nicoll, W. Robertson (no date), The Expositor’s Greek Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).

New American Bible (1986), (Nashville, TN: Catholic Bible Press).

PAUL'S MISSIONARY TRIPS? by steve finnell


http://steve-finnell.blogspot.com/2017/03/pauls-missionary-trips-by-steve-finnell.html

PAUL'S MISSIONARY TRIPS? by steve finnell


When the apostle Paul went on his mission trips did he take a representative from the Church of Judaizers, The Lutheran Church, The Roman Catholic Church, The Baptist Church, The Mormon Church, The Church of Seventh Day Adventist, The Jehovah's Witness Church, The Christian Science Church, The Masonic Church, The Pentecostal Church, The Methodist Church? Did Paul believe that all denominational churches needed to preach their various plans for salvation?

 Paul only taught one way to be saved. He did not believe in interdenominational mission trips.

The apostle Paul said; Galatians 1:8 But if we or angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. (NKJV)

Romans 16:17-18 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions  and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them. 18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words  and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. (NKJV)

NOTE: The aforementioned denominations do not preach the same doctrine of salvation that the apostle Paul preached. Paul taught the apostles' doctrine and the apostles' doctrine only. The apostles' doctrine is found in the Bible alone.

SAVED BY FAITH: John 3:16, Acts 16:30-34

SAVED BY REPENTANCE: Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19

SAVED BY CONFESSION: Romans 10:9-10, Acts 8:35-38

SAVED BY IMMERSION IN WATER: Mark 16:16, 1 Peter 3:20-21, Acts 22:16, John 3:5, Titus 3:5, Galatians 3:26-27, Acts 2:38, Romans 6:3-7, Ephesians 5:25-27, Colossians 2:11-13

Paul taught all four requirements in order to be saved.      

Let us be faithful stewards of the mysteries of God by Roy Davison

http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Davison/Roy/Allen/1940/stewards.html

Let us be faithful stewards of the mysteries of God

Paul wrote: “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:1, 2).

What is a steward?

A steward is someone who has been entrusted with the possessions or affairs of someone else with the understanding that he is to care for them and manage them responsibly.

A steward must be trustworthy.

Every position of responsibility involves stewardship.

How would you feel if someone gave you a briefcase containing diamonds worth thousands of dollars, and asked you to walk through the streets of a large city and deliver them to another address?

Brother Gus Amssoms went to be with the Lord many years ago. When he retired, after working for 45 years as a laborer in Antwerp, he had not missed a single day of work because of illness. He was a trustworthy man.

Antwerp, Belgium is the diamond-cutting capital of the world. About 2000 gem-related offices are located in a one-square-mile area near the central train station.

After Gus retired, he was given a part-time job as a diamond courier. If you had been a tourist in Antwerp, you might have seen an elderly workman with a gentle smile walking through the narrow streets of Antwerp carrying an old, worn-out briefcase. You would have never dreamed that his briefcase contained diamonds worth thousands of dollars. He did not have a gun or a bulletproof vest or an armored vehicle. He had something that the diamond merchants considered much safer and more secure. He had a gentle, innocent appearance and he was a completely dependable man.

As Christians, we must be faithful stewards of something much more valuable than a briefcase full of diamonds: the mysteries of God.

What are the mysteries of God?

The mysteries of God are truths known only by revelation: “According to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith” (Romans 16:25, 26).

The wonders and intricacies of life, prove the existence of a Creator. But only through the Bible can we know who this Creator is and what our relationship with Him can be through His Son Jesus Christ.

A steward is answerable to his master.

Preachers and elders must remember that they, as stewards, are answerable to God not to man. Paul wrote: “But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness - God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others” (1 Thessalonians 2:4-6).

Unfaithful stewards will be punished by God.

The Lord was angry with the unfaithful prophets under the old covenant: “‘I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in My name, saying, “I have dreamed, I have dreamed!” How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart, who try to make My people forget My name by their dreams which everyone tells his neighbor, as their fathers forgot My name for Baal. The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; and he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?’ says the Lord. ‘Is not My word like a fire?’ says the Lord, ‘And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? Therefore behold, I am against the prophets,’ says the Lord, ‘who steal My words every one from his neighbor. Behold, I am against the prophets,’ says the Lord, ‘who use their tongues and say, “He says.” Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,’ says the Lord, ‘and tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies and by their recklessness. Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not profit this people at all,’ says the Lord” (Jeremiah 23:25-32).

In our time as well, many falsely claim to be prophets, leading people astray by the lies they speak in the name of the Lord.

As stewards, we must speak God’s word faithfully.

All Christians must be good stewards of the grace of God. “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do so as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 4:10, 11).

This great responsibility rests doubly on elders, teachers and preachers because of their leadership position.

A bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God” (Titus 1:7). An elder must hold “fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict” (Titus 1:9).

Peter wrote: “The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:1-3). Elders are stewards of God, His flock has been entrusted to their care.

Paul was entrusted with the gospel because God considered him faithful: “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry” (1 Timothy 1:12).

Paul mentions the faithfulness of several men with whom he worked. He calls Epaphras “our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf” (Colossians 1:7). He refers to Tychicus as “a beloved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord” and to Onesimus as “a faithful and beloved brother” (Colossians 4:7-9). Peter refers to Silvanus as “our faithful brother” (1 Peter 5:12). Let us follow their example, and be faithful servants of Christ.

This solemn command, given by Paul to Timothy, echoes through the ages: “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:1-5).

The message must be faithfully passed on to following generations of teachers.

As faithful stewards of the mysteries of God we must pass the message on. Paul told Timothy: “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:1, 2).

What have we learned?

1. As stewards, we have been entrusted with the mysteries of God, the good news of salvation by grace through the sacrifice of Christ.
2. We are answerable to God and must speak His word faithfully, striving to please God rather than men.
3. God will punish unfaithful stewards.
4. We must faithfully pass on the mysteries of God to the next generation of faithful stewards.

Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes” (Luke 12:42, 43). Amen.

Roy Davison

The Scripture quotations in this article are from
The New King James Version. ©1979,1980,1982, Thomas Nelson Inc., Publishers unless indicated otherwise.
Permission for reference use has been granted.

Published in The Old Paths Archive
http://www.oldpaths.com

Joy by Gary Rose



Does anyone out there remember the movie “Dumbo”? As I remember it, this flick was about a young elephant that could FLY. While I believe that this photo was manipulated, nonetheless it does make a point. This animal is experiencing JOY! Question: What about the Christian? What is his joy? Jesus says…


John 15 ( World English Bible )

1 "“I am the true vine, and my Father is the farmer. "

2 "Every branch in me that doesn’t bear fruit, he takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. "

3 "You are already pruned clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. "

4 "Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me."

5 "I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. "

6 "If a man doesn’t remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. "

7 "If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you."

8 "“In this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; and so you will be my disciples. "

9 "Even as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love. "

10 "If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and remain in his love. "

11 "I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full."


The greatest love that I have ever known is the love of God. This love led to sacrifice of the highest magnitude and gained the greatest reward; nothing less than the redemption of all human beings who truly obey the Gospel and live as God has instructed them to. Jesus was a man and God at the same time; he was showing us the true way to God, the co-mingling of love and obedience in each of us. We are to both do what God says and obey with the attitude of Jesus. This produces a confidence in us that just as Jesus was raised from the dead, so shall we be in the last day.


If we listen and if we obey and if we put into practice the commands of God, we will truly live, not merely exist. God will be with us and in us. I don’t know about you, but the prospect of living now with Jesus and forever with Jesus produces a joy that cannot be expressed in words. Now, if I only could fly...